Players with very good strokes that never quite made it to the top

Some players have very good strokes but never quite make it to the top. Name some players who you think had the strokes but never quite made it (this is debatable of course but still try). active players can be mentioned too but they should be towards the end of the career so that it is not expected that they make it.

One player I liked when he was young was the Dane kristian pless. he won a junior GS and had a promision start but never made it past 50 in the world ranking or so. he had very nice and big flat groundstrokes and was a tall guy. but injuries derailed his career I think.

Some players have very good strokes but never quite make it to the top. Name some players who you think had the strokes but never quite made it (this is debatable of course but still try). active players can be mentioned too but they should be towards the end of the career so that it is not expected that they make it.

One player I liked when he was young was the Dane kristian pless. he won a junior GS and had a promision start but never made it past 50 in the world ranking or so. he had very nice and big flat groundstrokes and was a tall guy. but injuries derailed his career I think.

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What do you mean to the top? top 5? top 10? top 20?

I can tell a lot of them, but first we need to know what is to the top

I can tell a lot of them, but first we need to know what is to the top

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well I know that is tricky. let's make that cutoff at a consistent top20 (short stint doesn't count so maybe at least 25 weeks in the top20 or so). however you can change the criteria if you think that a player had way more talent than his ranking.

well I know that is tricky. let's make that cutoff at a consistent top20 (short stint doesn't count so maybe at least 25 weeks in the top20 or so). however you can change the criteria if you think that a player had way more talent than his ranking.

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you´re basically asking about the ´under-achievers´, right?
players who didn´t fulfill their talent?

you´re basically asking about the ´under-achievers´, right?
players who didn´t fulfill their talent?

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don't argue what "top" is. just post names. the underachiever question: well kind off but great strokes and ability are not always the same. if you have great strokes but you move like a slug then you technically didn't underachieve. so this is about great strokes but not really the results that correspend with that whatever that means.

I also think arazi was a good choice. he was kinda short but he had a great touch. also his fellow countryman el aynaoui (sp?) was a very nice player with powerfull strokes (legendary match with Arod). I'm not sure if he was top20 but I don't care. I think he could have done a little more with his strokes.

Always hero-worshipped Leconte when I was young, and wished I could play his swash-buckling tennis; too bad he under-achieved in many ways, and was unfortunately soundly beaten in the only slam final he made,

I am very lousy at german...let me try this one...Karl Meiler.Was it all right?

Pinner, I watched him a bit.Good fighting spirit and a good moonballer who had a quite good record on clay, specially back in 79...

Jelen was good at doubles.Steeb,Schwaier and Westphal or Maurer were jsut BB teammates...

Auf der landen aus ruinen...

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Paradorn Srichaphan hows my thai?
these are names not languages, kiki
Jelen was once called in the german media - the man with the golden arm -a
good teamplayer, hence the doubles, but choked a lot in singles
your last sentence reminds me a bit of monty python
trying to sound german

Paradorn Srichaphan hows my thai?
these are names not languages, kiki
Jelen was once called in the german media - the man with the golden arm -a
good teamplayer, hence the doubles, but choked a lot in singles
your last sentence reminds me a bit of monty python
trying to sound german

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I just heard DDR wonderful anthem and so moving...the setcond greatest ever after the Soviet mein liebe freund

Great examples guys! I like Pavel and Volkov too! Wasn't Volkov considered the Russian version of Leconte? Pavel had such a great one-hander, he could practically hit any shot with that wondeful stroke,

Pat Dupre.he ahd a sensational year in 1979 but that was it.He defeated Lendl at the Australian Open, Solomon at the US Open and Gerulaitis and Panatta at Wimbledon, before Tanner stopped him in the semifinals.

Big banger, mighty server and all out kinda player, but I don´t get to know what happened to him after that great year.

Siemerink was nicknamed on the ATP Tour as 'The Garbage Man' because of his horrible groundstrokes, according to Agassi in his book
He said he hated to play him because he mishit most the time while his shots still went in.

I didn't remember it was that bad, being Dutch I saw him play a lot on TV.
But he wasn't exactly a great ball striker. Then you're right about his net game, I guess there's no player today who can volley like him, except a few doubles specialists.